


Without Really Saying It

by Tonks914



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Languages - Physical Touch, Love Languages - Quality Time, M/M, Mention of Minor Character Death, very brief James/OMC, very brief Teddy/Victoire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29583348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tonks914/pseuds/Tonks914
Summary: A love like James and Teddy's didn't develop overnight.Four moments of love, through the years.
Relationships: Teddy Lupin/James Sirius Potter
Comments: 8
Kudos: 76
Collections: Love Languages Mini Fest





	Without Really Saying It

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Chelsea for putting together this adorable fest and to my Next Gen brothers, sisters, and siblings for writing in a time crunch. Shout out to alpenglow for, not one, but two last minute betas! You're appreciated.

2017

Teddy has a small family — just him and his Gran putzing around their quiet home, spending most of their days reading side-by-side, and pausing only to remark on something particularly interesting. Most of the time he loves it; it’s hard to feel lonely when you’re the center of someone’s universe. On the rare days when he finds himself bored, he need only wait until Sunday. Because on Sundays, at the Weasleys’ weekly brunch, he doesn’t feel like his family is so small anymore. The many,  _ many  _ freckled family members have been determined to treat him as one of their own since the day he was born. It’s comforting, a reminder that he’ll never be alone — and also loud, so  _ very  _ loud. 

Which is why he finds himself leaning against the kitchen counter, conversing with the adults instead of outside, with the screeching cousins in the garden. He enjoys the chaos but after a while he finds he needs to recharge.

“So I found this book —” Hermione starts, but Ron interrupts with a dramatic groan and an eye roll.

“Not the book again, ‘Mione!” Ron whines, and Teddy rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. Even after nineteen years of observing Ron and Hermione’s strange dynamic, he’s never quite sure if their bickering is a proper fight.

“What?” she says defensively. “I think they’ll find it really interesting.”

“What’s the book?” Harry asks casually, heaping more treacle tart onto his plate. 

“It’s called ‘The Five Love Languages.” Hermione announces, pulling a text from her bag. 

Harry pulls a face that has Teddy snickering behind his hand. “So it’s like a romance novel?” he asks through a mouthful of dessert.

“What?” she asks irritably. “No! It’s an informative text, obviously. Everyone expresses and prefers to receive their affections differently — there’s physical touch, acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, and receiving gifts. Once you know yours, everyone will know how best to express their love to you. There’s even a quiz,” she says excitedly, flipping to a bookmarked section. “Do you want to take it?”

“No,” Harry says, matter-of-factly, stuffing another spoonful of dessert into his mouth. 

Hermione’s mouth drops open into a perfect ‘O.’ “But don’t you think it will be fun to know what your love language is?”

“Out of those?” Harry asks. “Mine is definitely, what did you call it? Quality time?”

She opens her mouth and then immediately closes it again, screwing her lips to the side for a moment before sighing. “You’re right,” she concedes.

As she’s deciding on her next victim, James comes barreling in, out of breath and sweaty after whatever the thirteen year old was getting into in the back garden. 

“What are you guys doing?” he asks, making his way to the sink and aiming a playful punch to Teddy’s unprotected stomach as he passes. Teddy doesn’t miss a beat, kicking a leg out to tangle with James’s ankle, causing the teen to stumble for a few steps. James catches his footing easily, the athletic grace he inherited from his mother coming in handy, and turns to flash Teddy a mischievous smile, as if to say, ‘this isn’t over.”

“Your aunt is torturing us,” Ginny supplies from the counter, scratching her nails through James’s hair affectionately, when he reaches her. He leans into the touch for a moment before swatting her away.

“I am not.” Hermione defends. “And how about you Ginny?”

“Hmm?”

“Your love language,” Hermione prompts.

“Oh sex,” Ginny says with a shrug. “My love language is defintely sex.” 

Teddy isn’t sure who is more horrified by her proclamation, Ron or James, who stops gulping water long enough to mutter, “That’s so gross, Mum.” 

“Gin, did you have to?” Ron groans, but Ginny ignores them both, instead walking to meet Harry’s hand in a proud high five. 

“Very well,” Hermione says, and then, to Teddy's horror, turns her eyes on him. “How about you, Teddy?”

“Me?” He says stupidly, silently wishing he was better at saying no to people. 

“Yes you.” She says with a hopeful smile. “Do you want to take the test?”

“Umm,” he says, looking around the room as if he’ll find a proper excuse written on the walls. When no one comes to his aid, he smiles tightly. “Sure,” he says, pointedly ignoring James’s snort, as he takes the seat opposite Hermione. 

The next ten minutes are spent answering various questions about things that he finds meaningful in relationships. Cringey statements like, “it’s more meaningful to me when my partner and I share non-sexual touch in public.” With every question he answers, he feels his cheeks heat more. He supposes it wouldn’t be as bad if it were just he and Hermione, but everyone has stayed firmly in place, listening to him prattle on — James included, who snickers every time sex is mentioned. 

“Okay,” she exclaims after what feels like hours, sitting back in her seat and counting under her breath. “Well that’s nice. I should’ve guessed, you and Harry do have a lot in common. It says that your love language is quality time.”

“So what does that mean?” James interjects, no longer feigning bored indifference, and coming to stand at the table.

“That means that the best way to show Teddy love is by spending time with him,” she says with a smile. 

To his horror, Teddy feels his embarrassment spread to the tips of his hair, sure by now that the colour is bright pink. He avoids everyone’s eyes as he shakes his head to return the strands to their usual turquoise. To their credit, no one mentions it, not even James.

“Oh,” James says quietly, “that’s cool.”

“What’s cool?” Victoire asks, breezing into the room with her usual effortless grace.

“Nothing,” James lies easily. 

Teddy flashes him a grateful smile, looping his arm around Victoire’s waist when she walks within arm’s reach. 

“You were supposed to be checking to see if Teddy wanted to come.” she says with a pointed look in James’s direction.

“Oops,” he chuckles with a lopsided shrug, “I guess I got distracted.”

“Typical,” she laughs warmly and then turns her gaze on Teddy. “We were all going to walk to the far side of the property to check out that Muggle tractor. Do you want to come with us?”

Teddy considers it a moment, but then his eyes land on the dish of treacle tart and his decision is made. “I actually think I’m going to hang back here and eat some dessert. Come get me when you’re back though?” 

“You’re sure?”

He nods, and Vic gives him a warm smile before leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips.

“Let’s go, James!” she announces as she makes her way out of the house.

Teddy doesn’t waste any time, retrieving a bowl from the colourful stack and filling it to the brim with Gran Weasley’s famous dessert. He briefly considers sitting on the couch but when he catches snippets of George and Percy’s conversation — they’re ‘discussing’ politics again — he decides to sit outside, on the front steps instead. 

He’s only taken a single bite when the door opens, revealing a sheepish-looking James, who promptly sits down at Teddy’s side.

“I thought you were going to go try and get the tractor up and running with everyone else?” 

“Nah,” James shrugs, taking a finger full of Teddy’s dessert before he can stop him. “I thought I’d stay and...you know, spend time with you.” 

Teddy’s eyes snap to his face but James is staring out at the tree line, pointedly avoiding Teddy’s gaze. His first instinct is to assume James is taking the piss, but the slight blush across his freckled cheeks gives away his sincerity. When James catches him, his face breaks into a shy smile. 

“You’re ridiculous.” Teddy laughs, briefly pulling James’s head against his own.

“Yeah,” James says, shoving Teddy playfully, “but you love me.” 

  
  


2019

Being back in the Burrow, after so long away, should make Teddy feel awkward and out of place, but it doesn’t — as always, stepping through the Floo, into the cluttered, overly warm sitting room, simply feels like love. After his and Victoire’s break up, six months ago, he decided to give her a bit of space, then before he knew it, ‘a bit’ became six, long months. 

It isn’t that the family makes him feel unwelcome, quite the opposite actually. Since his first missed brunch, he’s received countless owls and visitors insisting on his return. It isn’t even as if he and Vic are on bad terms, they both agree that their relationship has run its course and are working hard to remain friends. But at the end of the day, no matter how much everyone assures to the contrary, this is  _ her  _ family and Teddy is only a guest here. 

He’d never verbalize these thoughts, sure that the whole family would accept it as their mission in life to make Teddy feel loved — and he  _ does  _ feel loved. But loved doesn’t always feel the same as family. The distinction suddenly feeling significant at twenty, with his Gran’s health starting to wane, in a way that it never has before. 

Despite his conflicted emotions, he manages to rally. He helps Gran Molly tidy up the kitchen, avoids the chaos with Harry in the front garden, and listens intently as Hermione excitedly explains the newest bill to be introduced at the Ministry. Once he’s bored of playing grown-up, he makes his way to the back garden where the cousins are playing a “friendly” game of Quidditch. 

He drops onto the dewey grass and leans back onto his hands, belatedly realising that he should’ve cast a drying charm as his trousers hungirly sop up the wetness. He shrugs to himself, as he cranes his neck, attempting to discern the many shapes flying overhead. Quidditch has never been his thing per se, but he definitely doesn’t hate the sport, like Albus claims to. Still, he’d rather be a spectator, with his feet planted firmly on the ground.

He squints up against the afternoon sun and makes out Victoire floating near the closer of the two makeshift goals, her blonde hair billowing gracefully behind her. It's clear she spots him, when she offers a genuine smile and a wave which Teddy returns happily. They’d promised each other that things wouldn’t be weird between them, and he’s happy to see that everything’s working out as they’d planned. 

Before he has the chance to think on it further, a loud commotion erupts from the opposite side of the field, announcing the presence of the Snitch. Two bodies fly to the location so quickly that Teddy would think they’d apparated if he hadn’t watched it himself. As the Snitch flits its way to Teddy’s side of the field, he’s unsurprised to see the two fighting for position are Roxy and James — the most athletic, and competitive, of the cousins. There’s no doubt that Roxy is good, but James is an absolute wonder on a broom, his body controlling the wood as if it’s another appendage. Just this afternoon, Teddy overheard Harry and Ginny lamenting the fifteen year old’s inability to sit still, but when Teddy watches him fly, he can’t see how it’s anything but a gift. 

That is, until James stands, walking two shaky steps to the edge of his broom before leaping into the air. Teddy’s heart soars into his throat, taking his breath away, and he doesn’t realise he’s jumped to his feet until James lands safely back in his seat, holding the snitch proudly in his hand. Teddy exhales roughly, dropping to the ground, and scrubbing his hands down his face. He can only imagine what Gran Weasley would have said if she’d seen  _ that _ . 

James lands with a loud whoop and a cheeky grin that transforms into a genuine smile when he notices Teddy for the first time. 

“Oh, did you finally get sick of talking with the old folks?” he shouts, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hands, as he makes his way to Teddy. “You know you’re old but not a senior citizen quite yet?”

Teddy smirks, opening his mouth to reply when Roxy lands angrily next to them. “Again,” she announces, flipping her head to reaffix the hair tie in place, “only this time you’re stuck with Freddie.”

“Oi!” Fred shouts from the air. “I heard that!”

Roxy, rights herself, rolling her eyes in response. “So, are you coming?” she asks James. 

James’s leg twitches in a way that Teddy knows means he’s itching to remount. He glances back at Teddy and smiles softly, tossing his broom to the ground and falling at Teddy’s side in the grass. “Nah, I’m gonna chill with Teds for a bit.”

“Suit yourself,” Roxy says with a shrug, before kicking off and shouting orders to the remaining cousins. 

"You can play again, you know?” Teddy assures him. “I don't mind watching. Although you did nearly give me a heart attack with that last stunt — for God’s sake, Jamie."

"Okay,  _ Gran _ ,” he mocks with a chuckle. “I was in control the whole time.”

Teddy has to physically bite his tongue, he’s pretty sure you can’t be entirely in control of your broom when you are standing atop it, but he’s had too many ‘old man’ jokes directed his way today to risk adding fuel to that particular fire.

“You know,” James says, suddenly excited, “you should really let me give you flying lessons."

"Ha! I know how to fly, Jamie."

"I know you do,” James concedes, pulling blades of grass from the patch between his legs, “but you're not confident. You need a good teacher."

"And you're that teacher?” Teddy probes with a laugh. “At fifteen years old?"

"Yeah, a fifteen year old who can fly circles around pretty much everyone you know." he states matter-of-factly.

Coming from anyone else the statement would feel obnoxiously cocky, but from James it’s just true. Teddy allows himself a moment to see the man James is turning into and smiles in spite of himself. 

"Maybe I'll let you give me a few lessons." He says, bumping James’s shoulder with his own and delighting in the way James's face lights up. "Not right now, obviously, but I can come over after work on Wednesday? 

"That’s awesome," James announces sincerely, and Teddy feels the calm that he’s been missing all day finally settle through his chest. 

They sit in comfortable silence as the sweat cools from James’s skin. Teddy is about to inquire about his studies, when a violent shiver travels through James's body.

“Cold?” he asks with a chuckle. 

"Bloody freezing!” James admits, rubbing his hands over his bare arms. “I don’t know how you sit still this long."

“Come on, let’s walk then,” Teddy says, jumping to his feet. 

Without a thought, he pulls off his jumper and throws it into James’s lap. James’s cheeks pink slightly, but he covers it well, looking away as he pulls the garment roughly over his head. Teddy supposes there  _ is _ something emasculating about wearing an older friend’s jumper, but he’d thought they were beyond that. He decides to let it go. 

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" James asks, as they walk towards the woods.

"Flying lessons AND therapy?” Teddy jokes.

“Hahaha,” James deadpans. 

Teddy smiles, hoping he’s pulling it off. "Nah, I'm alright."

“Mmhmm,” James hums in a way that says he knows it’s bullshit. "We both know that’s bollocks but we can just pretend that’s not the case."

Teddy hesitates, wondering briefly how this fifteen year old kid can disarm him so easily. With his Gran, any discussion on the subject makes her so sad that it’s never worth the trouble, and with anyone else he can’t help but feel like an inconvenience. It doesn’t feel like that with Jamie, though. He screws his lips to the side before putting voice to the concerns that have been weighing on him all afternoon. “Gran wants me to take over for her at the Battle of Hogwarts ceremony.”

“You mean saying your parents names?”

Teddy nods. “Yeah. You know, with her health and everything...” Teddy lets that thought go unfinished, not able to bear where it might lead. “And I know it’s stupid, that I should just do it because it’ll make her happy, but I can’t help but feel weird because...I didn’t know them.”

“It’s not stupid,” James says emphatically.

They’re quiet for a bit before James breaks the silence. “How about I come with you?” he asks.

“I’m pretty sure you’re required to go.” Teddy jokes. “I mean, another student might be able to sneak away but not the oldest son of  _ the _ war hero.”

“Obviously,” James replies with an eye roll. “But all the speakers always have people with them. You know, like for support? Maybe I could stand with you? Maybe it would help to have someone at your side who knows exactly how you’re feeling?”

Teddy’s steps falter, just briefly, at the kindness of the offer, at how James — this kid who everyone thinks is cheeky and loud and attention-seeking — knows  _ exactly _ what Teddy needs. He bites his lip in an attempt to stave off the impending emotions, breathing shallowly and hoping that James doesn’t notice how affected he is. If he does, to his credit, he doesn’t say a word.

“Yeah,” he finally manages to croak out, “that’d actually be amazing, Jamie.”

“Good,” he says quietly, flashing Teddy a fond smile before allowing his face to settle back to his usual mischievous smirk. “So about these flying lessons…”

  
  


2021

Teddy hates going away parties. With so many guests, it's always impossible to have a proper heart-to-heart, before the impending goodbye. The lack of real connection leaves Teddy feeling unfulfilled and extremely lonely. Of course, he's not stupid; he knows most of his sadness is directly related to  _ who _ they're celebrating today. That looking ahead to his first summer after losing his Gran, and the reality of having to face it without James by his side; it's breaking his heart. 

Teddy  _ is _ happy for him — playing professional Quidditch is all James has ever wanted to do — what he is  _ meant _ to do. He'll be absolutely brilliant, and Teddy would never begrudge him his dreams, but there is a selfish part of Teddy's brain that wants to steal James away — to have him to himself for at least a little while longer. 

This wish would be challenging enough with James's large family, but complicating matters even further is the fact that James has brought a boyfriend home from school. A lanky, dark-skinned Hufflepuf named Micah who can't seem to keep his hands off of James, constantly scratching his nails through his hair or pinching playfully at James's side. Living up to his reputation as a human kneazle, James pushes happily into each and every touch. 

And it isn't that Teddy has a problem with it, he really doesn’t, but as they’ve aged, Teddy has grown accustomed to having James at his side, to seek him out when he needs a bit of extra reassurance. He's embarrassed to admit it to himself, but over the years he has started thinking of James as  _ his _ . Not in any sort of sordid way, Teddy doesn’t even like blokes like  _ that _ — but especially since Teddy's Gran died five months ago, Jamie has become his warmth. His happiness. His sun. And right now he can’t help but feel left out in the cold. 

One thing is for sure, he has to get his mood under control before he talks with James. He deserves an excited best mate today.

It's hours later when he stumbles upon James alone in the kitchen. 

"There's the man of the hour!" Teddy announces with a forced cheerfulness, clapping James on the back. 

“Hey,” James says, with a tight smile, “do you want a drink?”

Teddy waves him off, knowing that he’s had more than his share already. “So are you getting excited?”    
“Teddy, do you not like Micah?" James asks abruptly. 

“What?" Teddy spits, entirely startled. "Of course I do! Why would you think that?”

James shrugs sadly. “You just always spend time with me,” he says with a sigh. “But, I don’t know, today it seems like you’re avoiding me. Are you? Avoiding me, I mean?” 

“No, NO! Fuck.” Teddy sighs, slumping against the counter defeatedly. He’s the most selfish areshole, sulking around the house on such a special day. He scrubs his hands down his face angrily. “Maybe I have been avoiding you a bit.” 

James looks up suddenly, apprehension clear on his freckled face.

“I promise it has nothing to do with Micah though!” Teddy rushes to clarify. “He seems like an ace bloke, Jamie. I’m so happy for you. Really.”

James nods, accepting Teddy’s words at face value. “Then what is it?” he asks, voice barely above a whisper.

Teddy exhales roughly. “I think I’m just sad,” Teddy admits, blinking back tears, his eyes finding his feet. “I’m going to miss you...so much. But I’m also so bloody proud of you and excited for what comes next. I just didn’t want my sadness to be contagious, you know? You deserve to celebrate and be obnoxiously happy.”

When Teddy looks up at James, he doesn’t look particularly happy, the back of his hand brushing away a stray tear.

“Look,” Teddy says dramatically, gesturing to James’s face, “the sad  _ was  _ contagious. See? You should’ve left me to my lonely misery.”

James huffs a watery laugh. “You’re such an arse,” he sniffs. “Of course I’m excited, Teddy, but I’m sad too. So fucking sad. I’m going to miss everyone. And I’m worried about leaving you -”

“Jamie -”

“Don’t.” James silences him with a smile. “I’m allowed to be worried. You’ve had a shit year.”

“Fair,” Teddy concedes. 

“And I’m also bloody terrified, if you must know. Like completely fucking bricking it!” James says, taking a swig of his whiskey.

Teddy laughs. “Well, yeah, really who wouldn’t be? You’ll be amongst legends, and you have no idea what you’re doing!”

James chortles so violently that some of his drink comes through his nose. Teddy pats him on the back as he coughs, leaving his hand there once James rights himself. “Oh, thanks so much! Your support really means the world to me.” James laughs.

“Any time,” Teddy says, squeezing James’s neck once before letting his hand drop. 

“You’re my best mate, Teds.” James whispers, suddenly serious. “I want to be all those feelings, go through all those feelings,  _ with  _ you. Okay?”

Unprepared for his sincerity, Teddy looks anywhere but directly at James, swallowing hard. “Okay,” he says, “after the party is over, want to get pissed and cry all over each other?”

James laughs warmly, and Teddy feels something loosen in his chest, like he can breathe deeply for the first time in a long while. 

“Deal.” James says with a perfect smile.

  
  


2023 

The Floo sounds, alerting Teddy to what must be the fourth guest this hour, this time spitting a disgruntled Percy onto the living room rug. Teddy sighs, turning back to the family already gathered around the table.

“What wrong?” Ginny asks from his left.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Teddy says with a chuckle at his own expense. “James just didn’t tell me he’d be late.”

In truth, his concern is more related to the fact that James hasn’t told him  _ anything  _ today, and considering the fact that their near-constant communication was cited in both of their most recent break-ups, that’s very out of character.

Ginny’s hand finds his forearm, squeezing once, the loving action giving him flashbacks to when his Gran was sick and doing nothing to calm his anxiety. “I would’ve mentioned it before, but I thought you two —” she starts, and then quickly changes tactics, presumably realising the implication of her words. “Well, you’re so inseparable, I never expected he wouldn’t have owled you.” 

“Owled me about what?” Teddy asks, a hysterical tone to his voice. His pulse is ringing in his ears as he tries to remind himself that it can’t be  _ that  _ serious. Not if everyone is still eating and chatting like nothing has changed, but it’s hard to be rational when it comes to James.

“James broke his shoulder at practice this morning,” Ginny says quietly. 

Teddy’s sharp inhale of breath does not go unnoticed by the rest of the table, who do their best to pretend not to be listening. 

“They were able to fix him up but the mend is too fresh and —”

“The playoffs.” Teddy finishes for her, squeezing his eyes shut. James has worked exceedingly hard this season, leading the Arrows to a perfect season. They are the clear favourite to win it all, only now they’ll be going for the championship without James in their lineup. Teddy’s heart breaks for him. He jumps to his feet, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. 

“Sorry,” he says to the crowd, turning and making his way to the Floo, and pointedly ignoring the snickers. “I have to go but I’ll see everyone next week.” 

Ginny is looking at him, that knowing look that makes his stomach squirm. “Give him my love,” she yells after him with a smile in her voice. 

Teddy makes record time to James’s flat, especially considering the detour. He raps his knuckles roughly on the door, smiling as he listens to the familiar sounds of James kicking dirty trainers out of his path on his way to answer. When James finally opens, he looks diminished in a way that Teddy has never seen him. It isn’t even the unkempt hair, or the stained hoodie, or the red around his eyes alerting Teddy to his previous tears. No, it’s something in his stance, the way he looks completely defeated.

“Hey!” Teddy says, in what he hopes is a light-hearted way. “For no reason at all, I thought we could hang out — spend some time together? I brought your favourite ice cream flavour.” He finishes, holding up the bag from Fortescue’s.

“Mum is a traitor,” James grumbles, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket before stomping over and falling onto the couch. 

“In her defense,” Teddy says, shutting the door behind him, “she assumed you had told me — which you should have, by the way. And you didn’t actually tell her not to tell me.”

“Yeah, okay,” James says, flailing his hands out in a ‘gimme’ motion, until Teddy fills them with an ice cream pint and spoon. James removes the lid and takes a bite, smiling happily as the flavours coat his tongue. “I really am fine,” James lies, attempting his old bravado, but he doesn’t come remotely close to managing it. 

Teddy bites his lip. “You have to know you were amazing, James — this doesn’t take away your perfect season.”

James sighs. “Can we not talk about it?”

“Yeah, of course,” Teddy says with a nod, but he doesn’t mean a word of it. He’s feeling desperate with the need to make this better. James is in pain, and it doesn’t seem like Teddy’s presence is doing anything to lessen the ache. 

He thinks back on all the times that James has been there through the years. From the small moments when Teddy didn’t want to be alone to the big ones where he wasn’t sure he’d make it through. James is always right there. Always knowing exactly what Teddy needs. And then he remembers a little James leaning into Ginny for comfort, to a teenaged James seeking his boyfriend’s embrace, to a man always teased for his love of touch. 

Without hesitation, Teddy reaches out, awkwardly takes the ice cream container, and places it on the table. James makes a sound of protest, but it’s muffled as Teddy pulls him to his chest, running his hand through his soft curls and holding him tightly. James startles at first, but it’s only a breath before he melts into the touch, returning the embrace just as fiercely. Only two before tears are staining the front of Teddy’s jumper.  _ This  _ is what James needs. And Teddy must have too, because he feels something unwind in his chest, as if he’s been forced to hold very still for a very long time and is finally allowed to move. 

“I’m so sorry this happened, Jamie,” he says, pressing a kiss into James’s hair. “I promise it’s going to be okay, though. You’re brilliant and resilient and talented...and I love you so damn much.” 

James goes very still and Teddy can’t help but freeze too, feeling like he’s suddenly crossed a line that he didn’t know existed. 

James looks up at him, and Teddy has the sudden urge to pull him into a kiss. It has been here for a while but never this intensely. He manages to resist, but he can’t help the way his eyes flicker down to James lips of their own accord. When he has the sense to look up, James is staring at him like he’s seeing him properly for the first time — he lets out a breathy laugh which is completely at odds with the tears still clinging to his eyelashes. 

“I —” Teddy starts, not knowing exactly where the thought will finish. He knows he should probably be afraid, that they’re teetering on the edge of changing everything, but somehow that doesn’t scare him. Not when it’s James in his arms, James who has been telling Teddy that he loves him without really saying it for years. 

“You too, huh?” James whispers. 

Teddy nods, swallowing hard. “Yeah,” he breathes, “so much. Is that weird? I’ve been worried that it’s weird.”

James chuckles softly, shaking his head in disbelief. “No,” he says, his hand caressing Teddy’s stubble. “It’s fucking perfect.”

When their lips meet, it’s exactly that — it’s soft, warm, and perfect.Teddy pulls back, sure that the smile on his own face matches the soppy, fond one that James wears. He kicks his legs up onto the couch, stretching out more comfortably and marveling at how perfectly James fits tucked into his side.

“We'll talk it out tomorrow?” James asks with a smile.

“Definitely,” he agrees, dropping a chaste kiss to James’s lips, and pointedly ignoring the way his heart flips over itself. “For now, though, how about some telly?”

“That sounds brilliant!” James agrees, snuggling more firmly against him. 

And Teddy knows they will find the words tomorrow. They’re best mates, practically family, and they’ve always been each other’s confidants. But he also knows that it’s not entirely necessary, because of the way James is always here with him, because of how his own hands roam softly over James’s skin —

He knows they’re already saying  _ everything _ , without really saying it. 


End file.
